


CRaYon [UNDER RECONSTRUCTION]

by DSp8ceComet



Category: Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, Love, Romance, Slow Burn, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2019-08-21 02:24:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16567811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DSp8ceComet/pseuds/DSp8ceComet
Summary: She was too close to her.That’s why she got hurt.She was not close enough.That’s why she got hurt.Riko and You both love Chika but Chika only loves one back.[THIS STORY WILL BE ON PAUSE TILL RECONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE]





	1. Star-Crossed Encounters

  The whole concert hall burst out into enthusiastic applause as Riko stood up and bowed gracefully. As she turned to leave the stage, she could hear the critics seated along the front row praising her performance endlessly. "She'll be world-famous one day!", "The raw emotion she brings out in pieces is simply overwhelming!" and "The amount of talent she posses knows no bounds!"- that last one irked her a little, for she has put in a lot of hard work get to where she is now. As her dress followed behind her, the applause soon faded only to start again to welcome the next pianist onto the stage. Riko gathered her belongings from the waiting room and allowed her eyes to linger on a poster hung up on the wall. It read "Sakurauchi Riko! One of Japan's up and coming pianists!" in bright pink lettering. Sometimes it still amazes her how far she's come despite her great fall from 6 years back.

 

  On her way to her apartment, she contemplated about her upcoming performance in Tokyo. She hasn't planned yet how she was going to get there and she should really get to it. Already, she was on the platform and was took by surprise when she heard loud applause. She had an intoxicating presence. "Thank you everyone!" There stood a lady with the prettiest pink eyes and the brightest smile. Riko's heart picked up in speed and blood rushed to her cheeks, turning them a light red. She appeared to be a busker, judging by her slightly disheveled orange hair and the open microphone casing in front of her. A few notes and shilling lay inside. The group of people surrounding the orange-haired singer made it hard to see her but that did absolutely nothing to keep Riko from staring. The crinkles near the corner of her eyes and the dimples in her cheeks were adorable and captivating. Riko could have sworn she felt her heart squeeze lightly.

 

  "Please watch your step." The monotonous voice of the overhead announcement pulled Riko out of her trance as people began to spill out onto the platform. Getting swept away by the crowd into the train, she was unable to turn back to take one final look at her new love interest before the train doors shuttled close and departed the station. Just as her luck would have it, she was pushed far back into the train where it was impossible to see over the sea of people. Riko felt her heartstrings pull at having to let her go and hoped that fate would have them meet once more. Unbeknownst to the pianist, there were a pair of eyes gazing curiously at her silhouette.

 

.

 

  The warm air of the café wrapped around her snugly the moment she pushed open the door to the café. With its orange theme and the best orange juice in the region, it's no wonder the café is Chika's favourite. She could hardly hear her own thoughts over the loud chatter in the café which was odd as it was usually much less packed. She didn't mind though and made her way over to an empty booth at the back.

 

  Noticing a mob of hair, she said, "Sorry, may I sit with you- _You!?_ " Her jaw dropped when the figure turned around abruptly. Suddenly, she found herself in the booth with a dainty hand clamped over her mouth. Struggling in the hope of being freed, You let her go and sighed in relief. "Surprise!" The girl said meekly, waving jazz hands with a small smile.

 

  You, an Olympic swimmer on the national team for Japan, was Chika's childhood friend. Chika also stayed in the former's apartment- a tall modern building near the Hakata train station.

 

  They spent the next hour catching up on trivial things like You's winter plans, the conversation somehow spiralling into the topic of Chika's hopeless love. Upon hearing the news, You was extremely supportive of her best friend and claimed she knew just how to get them together.

 

  Fishing her phone from her duffel bag, Chika could only watch on helplessly as You dialed a number hastily.

 

  "Rin-rin!" She says cheerily. "How are you doing? Listen, I need you to do me a favour."

 

.

 

  You dangled off the side of their shared bunk bed, bathing in the soft white light of the moon. She sighed heavily. "I just can't seem to put myself first for once."

 

  It was a sentence she has said time and again, her forever lamenting her selfless nature. Since her 1st year of Junior High, she was known as "An angel sent from God" due to her gentle and kind personality. The fact that she favoured wearing white clothing did not help either.

 

  The door to the small room creaked open slowly and a head full of orange hair peeped round the edge.

 

  "It's 1 AM! Where have you been?" Smacking Chika over the head with an outstretched palm, You huffed childishly and turned away from the former who was curled up on the floor crying out "I'm sorry!" repeatedly.

 

  After a beat of silence, You relented. "So, how was it?" She was bad at giving others the silent treatment too. She disiked being angry- and it was hard to be angry at Chika's puppy eyes.

 

  Comically, Chika sprung up from the floor and started excitedly. "Amazing! She's way cuter up close! And of course she was freaked out at first but..." Words flowed continuously from the girl's mouth and You could not help the smile tugging at her lips. Something stirred inside of her but she refused to admit her slight jealousy.

 

  Chika was her one and only dear friend, so surely it was normal to feel such possessiveness over the girl.

 

  "...and she's asking me to live with her!"

 

  '...'

 

  '...'

 

  ' _!?_ '

 

  You blinked once. Then again. Her face fell after hearing this though it was quickly replaced with a big smile. She wondered if Chika could see the lingering sadness in it.

 

  She had just came back from Europe. To have her best friend leave her after a day of spending time with her surely is too short a time! You felt disheartened, suddenly remembering that Chika was not hers to begin with and that Chika could do as she pleased.

 

  That night, You watched the lights of the city flicker on and off, not noticing her phone going off with notifications.


	2. Leaving, Moving In, Introducing...

  It was saddening for You to watch the precious items disappear from their room. Chika had decided to stay with her till she left for Australia and one week had never passed quicker. Her flight was in 8 hours or so, and they were about to head towards the subway having just finished boxing up Chika's stuff.

 

  "I can't wait to ride again! It's been a while since I've kicked up this thing!" Chika sprang around energetically, starting up the old motorcycle with a soft spluttering noise. They were riding the motorcycle a few stations up as You wanted to stay with Chika a while more. Chika remains unaware of this fact.

 

  You grinned, her loneliness pushed to the back of her mind, and hopped on withouta second's hesitation. "Let's go!" She hollered as she slung her arms around Chika's waist loosely. Chika then proceeded to rev up the engine and take off for the open road.

 

  A sense of dejá vu struck You when she hugged the girl's waist which was unexpectedly warm, given that winter will be rolling about soon. She recalled how even after Chika had turned down her confession, they still remained the same as always.

 

  On the day of their graduation ceremony back in high school, she had removed the second button of her uniform and held it in her outstretched palm. Maybe it was because of the cold that day her hand started to tremble. The beat of silence caused You's hand to full-on shake.

 

  Finally, Chika responded. "I love you too, You." She had replied in such a calm tone. A burst of hope shot through You's heart and she looked up eagerly, her love-sick heart pounding wildly, the blood rushing to her cheeks.

 

  Chika held a bright smile on her face. However, she did not move to take the button from You's hand.

 

  It was not like she did not know this would happen, though. They were too close.

 

  An abrupt push on her shoulder jolted her out of her dreamscape. "You!? You're going to miss your flight if you keep blanking out on me like this..." "Sorry, sorry!" She apologised sheepishly, hand reaching to scratch the back of her head. With that, she said her goodbye and ventured into the airport, taking her time to look for her ol' pal, Rin.

 

.

 

  Riko lived in a fairly large Japanese-influenced bungalow in the small town of Uchiura, apparently having just moved here herself. The house was quite intimidating to Chika and she had stood there on Riko's door step for quite some time before pressing the doorbell. Inside, she could hear hurried footsteps and keys jingling as Riko swung open the door. She waved in her new roommate warmly, immediately giving her a grand tour of her- now their- new humble abode.

 

  When it came to Chika's room, Riko opened the door with a flourish of her free hand. The sight before her sure was a refreshing one: A spacious room with queen sized bed and a lavish study desk complimented by a mahogany bookshelf to the side and a balcony that was decorated by a lone potted plant. She was left speechless, her mouth agape. This was nothing like the small room she shared with You. The room would definitely take a little bit of getting used to.

 

  "Do you... like it?" Not bothering to reply Riko, Chika made a mad dash for the bed and launched herself at the middle of it, rolling around and sighing contently. Light laughter was heard from the other side of the room. "I'll leave you be then." Now it was just Chika.

 

  Her first move was to slide open the balcony door to take a deep breath of the fresh seaside air. It was the signature scent of her childhood, having grew up here in her family's home grown business- a still-popular bathhouse. Currently, her older sister was running the place and Chika would visit occassionally to help out.

 

  She impulsively decided that she would bring Riko there. Her sister will be very pleased. Huffing in pride, she peeped out of the room and wandered around the large house, doing her best to bump into Riko. Eventually, she stumbled upon a door with a wooden "R" hanging on it. Piano music began to drift through the walls, a beautiful serene melody. It stopped abruptly with a fustrated groan. 'Yup. This must be Riko's room.' Chika nodded to herself, reaching out to knock on the door.

 

  She heard a soft "Come in" and pushed the door gently, revealing a room that looked similar to hers. Its most notable feature was, of course, the piano. It was a jet black with gold accents. "That melody sounded really nice." Chika wanted to die right there and then. Riko, so obviously, did not like it. Her eyes shifted to Riko who turned pink- probably just the lighting of the room. She mumbled something in thanks, hastily changing the subject. Chika wanted to cry. "You wanted something?" She almost forgot about the invitation to the bathhouse. "Follow me somewhere?" Riko could only nod, being dragged out of the house by her roommate who would not take "No" for an answer.

 

.

 

  The bathhouse was very tasteful with its choice of decorations. The orange leaves scattered across the floor seemed like they were from right outside. It gave the room a very warm aura, almost as if the entrance was saying "Welcome!". "Mito-nee! I brought a customer!" Her companion yelled out. A woman with blonde hair and pink eyes hurried down the stairs angrily, and pinched Chika's ear. "Ow, ow, ow!" Riko supressed a giggle. "How many times have I told you not to yell?" She scolded Chika, turning to Riko with a welcoming smile. 'Scary...' Riko cowered slightly, hoping that her fear did not show. "Welcome! I'm Chika's sister. I'm sure this hopeless idiot here can show you where the bathhouses are. Enjoy your stay~!" She knocked Chika on the head. Chika, still recovering from her sister's attack, scampered away, leading Riko to an empty bathhouse.

 

  "I can't believe that's how she greets her sister after not seeing her in months!" She cried dramatically and began to... remove her clothes. 'Right.' Riko had not thought about the consequences of visiting a bathhouse. She would be with Chika. Alone. Naked. Together. 'Oh no.' She could feel her whole face burning, desperately fanning them to get herself to calm down. Chika, unfortunately, side-eyed her and laughed. "Ah? Is it too hot for you here Riko? I've worked here since I was in diapers so I'm used to the heat." Her voice bounced off the walls of the locker room as she undressed, causing Riko to spin around and grit her teeth. "Yeah, the heat is kinda bothersome, but nothing too bad." She lied without letting her voice crack- a feat for Riko, in all honesty. She, playing it cool, undressed as well and covered herself with a towel. By the time she turned around Chika was already waiting at the entrance of the hot bath. In nothing. Her curves were showing-

 

  "C'mon in, Riko-san!" Snapped out of her thoughts by Chika, embarrassment seared through her as she stepped into the hot bath, the steam of the bath concealing her reddened face. Completely forgetting about her problems, she sunk into the bath slowly. It was a relaxed silence for a while until Chika piped up. "Why did you move here?" Her eyes were shining with curiosity. Riko could not deny her an answer. "I'm trying to capture the feeling of the ocean in a melody for my upcoming competition in Tokyo." Her heart was heavy after she said this but Chika, on the other hand, gradually became more animated, face glowing with joy. "You mean the grandest of the grand 'Love Live'? Held in Tokyo Dome annually!?"

 

  Riko hesitated to answer, in fear that Chika would pass out at any moment. "Yeah. The Piano division, of course." She let out a sigh of relief when Chika suddenly sobered up and took Riko by the shoulders, getting a little too close for comfort. Riko wondered if this was a blessing or a curse. "I can help! I have a friend who's owns a diving shop nearby. When are you free?" 'Blessing.' Riko decided, her heart lifting in hope. She would not let this opportunity slip by. She answered immediately. "Tomorrow."


	3. Deep Blue Waters

  Kanan locked the front doors to the diving shop and flipped the sign over, the words "CLOSED" warding off lingering customers. "I can't believe you came over to visit." She grinned widely, making her rounds to tidy up the place. "How many years has it been since I've seen you?" She let out a boisterous laugh, turning to face Chika who huffed and stomped her feet petulantly. "You know that it's only been a few months!" Kanan had to calm herself before speaking again. It was too easy to tease her dearest childhood friend.

 

  "In any case, what did you come here for?" She watched on silently as Chika held up one finger, slinking towards the back room and presenting a slim, fair-skinned lady with eyes that looked like swirls of honey. Long, silky hair that was the colour of red wine cascaded down her back, her fringe held in place by a pink clip. She was enchanting. "...is my new roommate!" Having spaced out while mesmerised by the beauty, she had forgotten Chika's presence and had almost forgetten her manners too.

 

  "Pardon the intrusion," The girl's voice was light and pleasing to the ear. "My name is Sakurauchi Riko. It's nice to meet you!" Riko proffered a delicate hand with long, slender fingers- perfect for playing the piano. Kanan reached out dazedly, shaking her hand delicately, afraid she would bruise it if she used even the slightest bit of force. "Matsuura Kanan. I'm the owner of this place. Nice to meet you too." She would have continued to blank on her had it not been for Chika piping up from behind them. "She's here to take a dive if you don't mind." Kanan's face flushed in embarassment. "Of course." She hurried off to grab a pair of diving suits for them.

 

.

 

  It was a fairly warm autumn evening that day, suitable for diving a little further below surface deep- was what Kanan-san had said. They were not far from shore and had the perfect view of the sunset. It shone warmly onto the surface of the Uchiura sea, shimmering softly.

 

  "Beautiful." She was awestruck by the sight before her, the word just slipped out. She could feel Chika beaming from behind her. "It sure is, isn't it? I still remember the day when I first stepped into these waters. Kanan and I would play here all the time!"

 

  A nice quiet settled between them, the only sound being the occasional cry from a circling seagull and the rythymic rock of the waves against the boat. "All's clear!" Kanan stepped out from the cabin of the fishing boat and shot her a wink. "Allow me."

 

  Stepping off the platform, Riko revelled in the warm waters. It was not unlike being given a warm hug, maybe it was a welcome present for her first time in the Uchiura sea. Gradually, she let herself sink underwater, Kanan and Chika floating nearby just in case. Closing her eyes, she cleared all thoughts from her mind, breathing deeply. Then, she heard it.

 

.

 

  "Kanan-chan." "What's up, Chika?" Chika shifted in her seat, wringing her hair dry with a towel. She had felt a odd wriggling feeling in her heart earlier on and it had been on her mind ever since. "If this is about Sakurauchi, don't worry."

 

  "...That took me a good 15 minutes to figure out! How did you know?" She grew dejected, crossing her arms and pouting. _'Are all older girls this perceptive?'_ A goofy smile graced Kanan's face. "It's super obvious you like her, silly. Maybe even more?" A fit of giggles sounded as a flustered Chika playfully hit her on the shoulder. "In any case," She paused, wiping the non-existent tears from her eyes, "don't worry about it. I was just shocked to see a new face. No one's been around in ages."

 

  Hearing this, Chika's heart finally begins to settle and she let out a sigh of relief.

 

  "Thanks."

 

  Kanan gave her a thumbs up.

 

  "It's no problem."

 

.

 

  Chika swung the back door close behind her, locking it with her spare keys. Whatever she had expected to happen after stepping outside, it was most definitely not being tackled to the ground with the cement pathway rubbing against her cheek. There was a loud, exasperated cry from afar. "Mari!?" "Watch out~! I'm turning you in for trespassing!" Her head spun in confusion, her body showing not one bit of resistance as the poor girl accepted her doomed fate, unable to process the whole mess that occured in such a short span of time.

 

  A pair of white flats stepped into her view. "Get off her, for goodness sake, she's just Kanan's friend." The woman who had pinned her down obliged, removing herself from Chika. She could feel her captor's penetrating gaze as she eyed her suspiciously, scrutinizing every detail of her face. Chika did not dare get off the ground.

 

  Of course, she was hauled up by the woman who proceeded to knock her head in a childish manner. "Sorry for all that! I'm Ohara Mari, and this is-" "I am Kurosawa Dia." Her saviour cut in abruptly, bowing down in apology or in greeting- she did not know. Mari slung an arm around her shoulder and exclaimed loudly. "Allow me to treat you to dinner!"

 

  She was still traumatised from the event a few moments ago and she wanted to be as far away from this 'Ohara' chic as possible. "Nope, that's alright." She slipped out of Mari's grasp. "It's getting late so I'll be leaving now, it was nice to meet you two!" She took to her heels immediately after bidding farewell.

 

"...Interesting."


	4. Girl Next Door

  You stepped out of the shower and tousled her hair with a towel, having finished her training for today a while ago. Though it might rain later Australia's weather wasn't too different from Japan's. Walking towards her gym bag, a muffled ringing cried softly. 'Oh?' "Kanan-chan! How are you doing?"

 

  It was as if she could hear Kanan smiling. "Good, good! I heard Australia's lovely this time of year." You wedged her phone between her shoulder and her ear before sweeping her bag up and setting it down on a bench outside. Just then, a light drizzle began. "Yup," She let out a sarcastic laugh as the rain got heavier. "It's lovely."

 

  There was a long pause on the other end, almost as if Kanan was waiting for her to prod at something. She knew her bosom friend would not call her only to talk about the weather. With a sigh, she swang her legs back and forth and asked reluctantly, "Do you have something you want to tell me?"

 

  Again, there was another pause but this time, she heard a giggle from the other end of the line. Every time Kanan called to check in on her, she would always have some sort of story to tell. Of course, You didn't hate it. Judging from how long the phone call would be, You rummaged through her bag and pulled out a box of CalorieMate, tearing the packaging open as Kanan rambled on.

 

...

 

  "Rin-nya!" "Ah-!"

 

  You had almost completely forgotten about Rin. They were joined at the hip. Kanan kept her busy during her wait for Rin to finish working out though. A burst of laughter rang on the other end of the line. "Is that Rin-chan? Tell her I said 'Hi', yeah?" And all thanks to Rin, You no longer had to listen to Kanan's lovey-dovey talk about Riko. Funnily enough, the mature girl was always telling her how obsessing over someone isn't healthy.

 

  Hauling her bag over her shoulder, You patted Rin on the back. "Thanks-" "Aw, I didn't get to talk to Kanan-chan..!" "You have a phone!"

 

.

 

  A neat little bungalow sat before them, patches of old weeds springing around aimlessly. "Shiny!" Mari called out, twirling into Dia's arms. "Just press the doorbell." She groaned, pushing her partner out of her arms and straight for the entrance to the Sakurauchi household. When no one answered the door, Mari rolled up a sleeve and readied herself to ram the door when footsteps came up to them from behind.

 

"Uh-" A woman with pink eyes like Chika's stared at them curiously. "May I help you?"

 

.

 

  Tsushima Yoshiko was mistaken for Chika's sister at first. In fact, she was a University student studying to become a visual effects specialist. She worked as a magician part-time and has her own Youtube channel named 'Yohane': A fairly popular channel with a following of 4 million where she flaunts her skills in magic and fortune telling.

 

  "So... Tsushima, was it?" "Yoshiko's fine."

 

  She had invited the couple into her house while waiting for her neighbours to return home. She lived to the left of the now-Sakurauchi household with her beloved shiba inu named 'Laelaps'. The clock ticked loudly in the pin-drop silence surrounding them.

 

  The brunette spoke first. "Thank you for inviting us in. I am Kurosawa Dia and this is-" "Ohara Mari!" A gleam of mischeif shone in Mari's eye as she winked at her partner before turning her attention onto Yoshiko. "Say, do you happen to have a Youtube channel called 'Yohane'?"

 

  Yoshiko, taken aback that someone recognised her from her obscure channel, spluttered a bit before responding. "No..." Mari took a step closer and Yoshiko one back. This continued till the latter's back hit the wall, increasingly uncomfortable at the permanent smug face Mari was making, all the while Dia watched, amused.

 

  "...Okay, okay! Yes!" Yoshiko gave in, slumping to the floor in defeat. Mari hoisted the youngling up by the shoulders. "You're pretty and talented." She dusted off Yoshiko's shoulders. "Wanna join my talent agency?"   Yoshiko blinked once. Then twice.   "Yoshiko-chan?" The door creaked open little by little and Chika's cowlick appeared in the crack.

 

...

 

  "No way... The Ohara Springs!" Chika had let herself in, Yoshiko leaving to her late evening class. She hurried over to the kitchen to brew some red tea, eager to impress her guests. Mari was the heir to the Ohara Springs, one of the companies that sponsor the Love Live competitions and, according to her sister, was also a talent company.

 

  "I came here to scout you!" Mari chirped, bouncing in her seat with her excitement barely contained. "I've heard your singing and wow~! I am impressed!" Chika could feel her face warm from all the compliments and she laughed nervously. "I'm really not that good..."   Suddenly, Mari jumped from her seat. "You really are amazing." She declares- a bit too loud. "Mari!" The latter chided, grabbing her now-standing companion roughly by the shoulders. Just as the blonde was about to protest,  the door opened once more. "Chika-chan?" In an instant, the soon-to-be number one pianist in all of Japan was within Mari's grasp.

 

  But Chika lives with the Sakurauchi Riko? Mari questioned the girls' connections.

 

  The introductions went by quick since Riko was practically famous and, deciding to seize this opportunity, Mari invited the two to visit Ohara Springs. She killed two birds with one stone. Today must be her lucky day.

 

.

 

  Heels clicked against the tiled flooring, a fresh and crisp sound. While her roommate bounced along up ahead beside Mari, Riko lagged behind, strolling at a leisurely pace alongside Dia. The brunette beauty was a charmer with her eloquence and elegance. Her personality was almost the complete opposite of Mari- cool and calm versus loud and excitable. They made two odd peas in a pod. All four of then came to a stop outside of a practice room and Dia placed a key in her palm. It seemed the private tour must have come to an end.

 

  "Feel free to practice here anytime. If you ever want to strike up a deal, Mari's number is on the key." Mari tossed in a wink and grabbed Dia's hand, speeding off while mumbling something about a meeting. Riko turned to Chika, spinning the key around her index finger.

 

  The walk to the practice room was a silent one despite them having made a few wrong turns. The automatic door slid open cleanly to reveal a basic practice room. It was painted entirely in white and smelled of lavender. Inside was an amp, a microphone and stand pair, a grand piano, barres lining the mirrors' walls and an accoustic guitar lying on its side. Not too bare but still, simple.

 

  Chika made a beeline for the stand, as expected, and Riko took her place at the piano.

 

  A breath.

 

  "You must remember this..."


	5. 1, 2, 3!

  The mechanical bell sounded as Chika and You step foot into the convinience store. "Wah~! Finally, I'm free~!" You exclaimed, engulfed by the fresh air conditioning. The relentless summer heat outside couldn't lay a hair on them in their icy wonderland. Both rushing over to the cooler, Chika scooped up her usual orange-flavoured popsicle, You her usual Gari-Gari-kun. As they made their way over to the counter, the former suddenly froze in her tracks. "Chika?" You plucked her popsicle from her hand and waved it in front of her face. 'No response.' You hummed and followed her friend's line of sight, eventually landing on a magazine. An idol magazine. "Oh!"

 

  "Do you want to-" Her words fell short when she realised Chika was no longer beside her but crouching in front of the magazine rack, browsing its contents. You could make out mummurs of "Honoka" and "As Time Goes By", which she presumed was some song. Chika often did this when they came into convinience stores- it would be rare for her to not purchase the latest copy of IdolE every week. Tongue in cheek, she was about to turn back to the counter when a magazine, too, had caught her eye: "JP Design Monthly". In actuality, she was very much akin to Chika in the sense that she religiously purchased every copy under LoveLive Des. Snatching the magazines off the rack, she fished out the newest issue and flipped open its fresh pages, stopping when she saw a full photoshoot for a set of prom dresses.

 

 "Ooh-la-la!" You drooled at the sight of new outfits. It was nothing out of the ordinary. "Chika-chan, come look at this!" Like a puppy, Chika made her way over to You obediently and flipped through the photographs, going "Wow" or "Pretty" every time. Carefully, You poked her nose into the magazine, scanning the contents of the page. "Modelled by Kunikida Hanamaru and designed by Kurosawa Ruby..." 'Strange.' You figured that Kurosawa was a new designer, given that she knew almost every designer in the whole of Japan and yet she has not once heard of Kurosawa Ruby. She had to admit that her work was top tier, though. "Both 17 years old..." You read out in awe. Chika, too, had her mouth agape. To meet them would be You's dream.

 

.

 

  Hanamaru strolled out of her personal dressing room, worn out but looking in tip top shape. She longed to be alone and hang out with her best friend, Ruby, but alas, her red-headed friend had been MIA for the pass two days. Apparently she was sleeping-over at her classmate's place for a design project. Grumbling something even she couldn't comprehend, she was just about to walk out of the lobby when two figures caught her eye. The shorter of the two women was pointing at her... excitedly? Well, assuming so, she shyly put up a hand and waved to them.

 

  The taller one waved back awkwardly. The other practically leaped across the lobby, soon standing right in her face. "Hi! I'm Takami Chika! I love you!" She stuck out a hand. Though Hanamaru was slightly flustered by the woman's bold move, she gave her hand a firm shake. "I'm Hanamaru. I'm a model here- although it seems that you know that already." She let out a giggle. "It's always nice to meet a fan." The taller woman introduced herself next. "Sakurauchi Riko." She shook her hand as well.

 

  Seeing the duality of the two up close was jarring, to say the least. Riko was cool and calm while Chika bright and buzzing with energy. "I can't believe I'm meeting the Kunikida Hanamaru! My friend would love to see you too!" "Oh, I've only appeared in a few magazines- nothing special." Hanamaru usually responded that way to complements, she could never accept them. After a wefie and a quick goodbye, she walked out of the building, excited to share this with Ruby.

 

.

 

  Kanan coughed, eyelids creaking open then shut as sunlight spilled in through the chinked window. She rolled over in her twin-sized bed, reaching both her arms out for a hug- only to find a sticky note in a butt-imprint on her mattress. Groggily, she sat up and scratched her head, plucking the note of the white blanket. "I'm off to school, I made you breakfast..?" Her eyes squinted a little, her vision not the best without her reading glasses. She hastily felt the mahogany bed-side table, grabbing the familiar cool metal frame of her precious seeing-aid and sliding them on.

 

  She smiled after reading the note once more, heartened. Folding her glasses, she tucked them away at her collar and glanced out the window, a cool breeze making its way into her humble abode. She left the note at her desk, quickly washing up and getting dressed. Her apartment was quite far from the shop, a small but cozy place with cheap rent in Odawara. She didn't mind having to take the shinkansen to and fro, in all honesty. Especially when she got to see eye candy every Monday. It was a recent development- a few months ago she was waiting at the station, earphones plugged in, metal music blasting. As she glanced up at the clock, someone caught her eye. A slim, fair-skinned lady with eyes that looked like swirls of honey daintily stepped onto the train. Long, silky hair that was the colour of red wine cascaded down her back, her fringe held in place by a white clip. She was enchanting. Kanan peeled her eyes off of her, not wanting to be creepy and rude. Besides, that wouldn't be fair to... 'No,' She thought, irked, 'She hasn't bothered to make time for me at all. It's so one-sided.' She shook the thought out of her head, not wanting her night out to be ruined. Heaving out a long sigh, she watched as the train departed, hoping to see the woman again. And she did.

 

  Almost every Wednesday, Kanan would see her making her way on the same train, sometimes even the same cabin. Though when that happened, Kanan would just sneak glances at her from afar, feeling that attempting to strike up a conversation with her would be too out of the blue. At first, Kanan felt guilty. However, with time, the guilt was washed down. The glances were kept to a minimum, still. So when she met her in person, she simply couldn't believe her eyes. 'Thank you Chika,' was the only thought running through her mind the whole day. She was very well aware of her dear friend's crush on Riko. That didn't mean that she couldn't be friends with her too, right? She was grown up. She knew when to let go. For now, surely, it wouldn't hurt to play it up a little. 'Chika's too docile anyways... I'm merely doing her a favour.' Kanan tsk-ed, grabbing her backpack and leaving the apartment for work.


End file.
